Hello Operator

Desmond, the mouse declared my arch enemy for the week, did not make any appearances today. Perhaps he has scampered away at the thought of tilting against such a worthy adversary as myself, or perhaps he is simply in hiding, scheming, waiting to launch his wicked plans upon me.

Actually, what I'm most worried about is that he crawled deep under my cabinets--where he would be most difficult to retrieve--and passed away, and we won't discover him until the atmosphere becomes unpleasant. Foul, even.

It's been rainy and cool the past few days. i love it. I've been waiting, oh so unpatiently, for the evil hot summer to break and the wonderful fall weather to descend upon us. it has.

Things I love about fall:

• Apple Cider (Louisburg Cider Mill is my favorite)
• Sleeping with open windows
• Hot Coffee on cool mornings
• Soup weather
• Football!
• Bullet points
  

Soup. I love me some soup. And, on account of that, i bring you the first potentially annual Nate Are Fall Soup Challenge!

What is a Nate Are Fall Soup Challenge, you may ask? Well, I'm glad you did, because I would be delighted to explain it to you.

I challenge you, all of you, whomever you may be, to challenge me to make soup! You will assign me one or two ingredients (maybe three), and I will make a soup based on them (from scratch). Come now, let's be reasonable, though. I'm not going to make a soup out of bird's nest. Also, as I'm only making these soups so that I can eat them (and share any successful recipes here, on this wonderful insubstantial web log), the ingredients must be those I would endeavor to consume myself. That means no seafood, fellas and fellettes. Also, I may not be dirt poor, but truffles are right out of my price range; consider that my shopping is done nearly entirely at Safeway & Trader Joes.

The challenge is issued! Allez Cuisine!

I wrote a few words on my novel tonight. This chapter is slow. Must. Continue. Working. On. It.

Music of the Day:

• DeStijl by the White Stripes

Vintage Movie of the Day:

• Gypsy (complete with vintage beauty Natalie Wood)
  

Obscure Literary Term of the Day:

• Consonance

Geeky Reference for the Day:

• MST3K (or also known to people who like to say long phrases instead of short ones, Mystery Science Theatre 3000)
  

You may have noticed a change or two. It's been a long time coming, well, the aspect of change has, but the specifics were a bit more recently decided. As recent as earlier today. I hope you like it, because if you don't, chances are I'm not going to change just for you. Unless you're a very pretty single girl who's free Saturday night. Then we can talk about it over dinner. Hey, peanut gallery, shut yer hole. The one you put pie in.